Saijo Sake Brewery Walk: Seven Breweries a Few Minutes from the Station (Hiroshima)

Quick answer: Take the JR Sanyo Line from Hiroshima to Saijo (35–40 minutes). Seven sake breweries stand within a few minutes’ walk of the station. Many offer tastings for a small fee. Start at the tourist information centre in the station for a map and today’s opening hours, and avoid noon–1 pm, when several breweries close. The big event is the Saijo Sake Matsuri, usually on the second weekend of October.

Saijo, in Higashihiroshima, is one of Japan’s best-known sake towns, famous for its soft well water, and today seven breweries sit almost side by side along “Sakagura-dori” (brewery street). I’ve walked the street, done tastings, bought sake to take home, and been to the October Sake Matsuri — it’s an easy half-day trip from Hiroshima that I’d recommend.

Getting there

• JR Sanyo Line from Hiroshima to Saijo: about 35–40 minutes. JR passes are valid.
• The brewery street starts about 3 minutes’ walk from the station.
• The Higashihiroshima Tourist Information Centre is on the 2nd floor of JR Saijo Station, right by the ticket gates (9:00–18:00). English-speaking staff, maps and the day’s brewery hours.

The seven breweries

• Kamotsuru
• Hakubotan
• Kamoizumi
• Kirei
• Fukubijin
• Sanyotsuru
• Saijotsuru

They’re all within a short walk of each other, so you can visit several in a couple of hours.

Opening hours: what to watch for

• Most open around 9:00–10:30 and close around 16:00–17:00.
• Several close for lunch from 12:00 to 13:00. Plan around it.
• Sanyotsuru is closed at weekends.
• Hours change — check the official brewery hours page or ask at the station before you set off.

Tastings

Many breweries offer tastings for a small fee, and some only take cash for tastings. Outside several breweries you’ll find taps of their brewing water to sample — it’s the soft water that makes Saijo sake what it is.

Drink slowly, eat something along the way, and don’t drive.

Eat and buy

• Bishu-nabe — the brewers’ hotpot, cooked with sake. Look for it at restaurants near the street.
• Souvenirs: bottles of local sake, plus sake-lees sweets, sake jelly and sake soap. Buying a bottle at the brewery you liked best is half the fun.

Guided tours

The local tourism association runs English-guided tastings (book online):

• 7-brewery tour: ¥7,700, about 2 hours, 9 sakes (Mondays and Fridays at 13:00).
• 3-brewery tour: ¥5,500, weekdays in the morning, 5 sakes.

Participants must be 20 or older.

The Saijo Sake Matsuri

The town’s big festival takes over the streets for a weekend each October, usually the second weekend of October (10–11 October in 2026). Entry to the town is free; the Sake Hiroba area, with about 800 sakes from all over Japan, charges for a ticket. I’ve been, and it’s a lively, crowded day — go early, and check the official site for the next year’s dates.

How long to spend

• Half a day for 3–5 breweries, a bowl of bishu-nabe and some shopping.
• Combine it with a morning in Hiroshima or a trip to Kure.

FAQ

Are the tastings free?
Not always. Many breweries charge a small fee.

Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. The station’s tourist information centre has English-speaking staff, and the guided tours are in English.

When is the Sake Matsuri?
Usually the second weekend of October. Check the official site for exact dates.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.